FOR KEEPS
Classic family friendly recipes with a twist to use again and again
CLASSIC RECIPES YOU’LL USE again and again with a delicious twist — from the creator of successful NZ food brand Pepper & Me. Five years ago, trained chef Cherie Metcalfe set about creating what every busy family needs: delicious condiments, salts and spice pastes to take their cooking to the next level without fuss. From selling salt rubs at local markets, Cherie’s business has grown into a thriving food brand, making her one of New Zealand’s most successful next generation food entrepreneurs. She now has a full range of Pepper & Me products stocked nationwide and a recipe club with more than 6000 subscribers.
Keepers presents a range of Cherie’s fabulous and accessible recipes for the first time. An unsung hero of the food business, Cherie will see readers step up their cooking game without the hard work. From breakfasts, to light delights, main courses, sides, condiments and baking, the recipes in Keepers are ones readers will return to again and again.
Pepper & Me products can be found at https://pepperandme.co.nz/.
Following is a recipe from her book:
THAI FISHCAKES with FRAGRANT SWEET CHILLI SAUCE
These bad boys are really easy to make and always a hit whether at the dinner table or handed around as bite-sized delights at a party. The dipping sauce is key to bringing the fishcakes to life, but a store-bought sweet chilli works just fine as well. It’s the perfect way to use cheaper cuts of fish.
Ingredients
500g hoki (or any firm white-fleshed fish) 1 zucchini, grated
3 spring onions, roughly chopped
1 egg
2 Tbsp cornflour 1⁄3 cup Rock Out with Your Wok Out sauce, or any soy-based or ginger stir-fry sauce
1⁄2 tsp sesame oil zest and juice of 1 lime
30g coriander
20g mint oil for cooking
Sweet Chilli Sauce
1 long red chilli
SHOP THE
LOVE THE DINE THE 5cm piece of lemongrass
1⁄2 cup white sugar
1⁄2 cup white vinegar
2 makrut lime leaves (or zest of 1 lime)
Method
For the sweet chilli sauce, deseed then finely dice the chilli, and whack the lemongrass a few times with the back of a knife to release the goodness but leave it whole. Place the chilli and lemongrass in a small saucepan with the sugar, vinegar and lime leaves or zest, and stir to combine. Simmer on a low heat for around 30 minutes. The sauce will be a lot runnier than store-bought varieties, but is really delicious and perfect for dipping.
Pop all of the ingredients for the fishcakes into a blender and pulse to combine well.
Heat a frying pan with a good amount of oil. Take heaped tablespoon-sized amounts of fishcake mixture and add to the pan.
Cook 5 or 6 (you’ll get 12-14 altogether) at a time, and fry for around 11⁄2 minutes each side until the fish cake has turned white and a little golden on the outside, but is still juicy and moist inside.
Serve the fishcakes with the sweet chilli sauce; pile them all on a platter and garnish with extra fresh coriander if taking to share with friends.
Note: Serve the fishcakes with an Asianstyle slaw if having them as a dinner. Serves 4 as a lunch or light dinner
MOUNT MOUNT